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Nick Goepper

NickGoepper

Biography

With its lack of mountainous terrain, Indiana wouldn't seem like the likely birthplace of one of slopestyle skiing’s biggest stars. Yet that's where Nick Goepper got his start.

Growing up, Goepper skied persistently at a nearby resort, one that had just 400 feet of vertical drop. (For reference, consider that many of Colorado’s most popular mountains offer over 3,000 feet of vertical drop.) As he improved, Goepper’s family eventually concocted a backyard setup that included PVC pipes and AstroTurf so that he could continue practicing in the offseason.

Funding would prove to be another challenge. Due to financial difficulties, Goepper’s family was unable to afford the elite training that he needed in order to progress his riding to the next level. Goepper attempted to raise funds on his own – taking odd jobs, selling candy on the school bus – but his big break came when he secured a full scholarship to Windells Academy.

In due time, Goepper broke out on the contest circuit. By the time he turned 21, he had already secured three straight gold medals at X Games and two AFP (Association of Freeskiing Professionals) slopestyle titles. He was also part of a historic U.S. sweep in Sochi when he earned a bronze medal in freeski slopestyle’s Olympic debut. In that event, Goepper and two of his teammates, Joss Christensen and Gus Kenworthy, became just the third trio of Americans to sweep a podium in Winter Olympic history.